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Sue H.

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    Jumping the gun on Summer Solstice, an NSPN Kick-Off Event ! Save the Date, 6/3/23 (rain dates 6/10 or 6/11)

    in Past Trips

    Posted

    Hello Fellow Paddlers,

    We are not waiting til the official start of summer (Summer Solstice 6/21/23) to hold our annual-start-of-the-summer club paddle !  Our Kick-Off Event will be as noted above, Saturday 6/3/23.  Alternative dates TBD if the weather and associated sea states are too gnarly.  As usual we are likely to have pods at different trip levels, although an effort will be made to support paddlers who want to begin to work on expanding their comfort zone.  This will depend on the number and constellation of participants, and the pod facilitators available. As always, you will need to be an NSPN member and to have signed the participation agreement (waiver).  More specifications regarding boats and kits required will follow, as the particulars of this event are ironed out.

    So the launch and return times, the event location, sign-up and other relevant details TBD.  I have made this announcement to give you a glimmer of hope that warmer weather, sunshine and joyful paddling are on-the-horizon !!!  Save the date, I hope to see you there ... whenever and wherever venue unfolds.

    Your Prez, Sue H

     

    Summer Skills sessions continue for 2023.  Save the Dates !

    in Past Trips

    Posted · Edited by Sue H.
    update dates

    Summer Skills sessions continue for 2023.  Save the Dates !

    Skills Practice sessions are a series of on-the-water events, offering NSPN members opportunities to practice and improve their fundamental paddling skills. These sessions will be held in coastal saltwater locations, allowing us to practice in a range of real-world conditions from protected water to open ocean. 

    Each session is dedicated to specific kayaking skills, with peer facilitators from the club who will assist the practice and development of strokes and other ocean kayaking skills. The goal for these sessions is peer-facilitated practice, not professional coaching or instruction – those are great things, but not what we are offering with our sessions. 

    Sessions will typically split into pods, each with its own facilitator(s). Although there will be a topic-of-the-day for each session, the activities of each pod are steered by its members, so not all pods will do the same things in the same way.  All attendees are encouraged to contribute their own practice ideas. Skills Practice is a dogma-free zone!

    Who can benefit from Skills Practice? Any NSPN member, from newbie to expert, can get something out of a Skills Practice session. Practice at the level that works best for you.  If you are familiar with a topic and want to help others gain that knowledge, consider being a facilitator.

    Is this some kind of official NSPN course on “How To Paddle” ?  Nope, it’s not official, and it’s not even a set course. The focus is on picking up skills from each other, without prescribing any single way to paddle.  What you get at a given session depends on who is there and your willingness to “practice” (sometimes this is simply listening, observing and asking questions, remember, you are in the driver’s seat!)

    Where and when does this happen?  Sessions begin in the am (times TBD for a particular date) on Saturday or Sunday mornings at various locations in the North Shore/NH area.  The end times may vary as we intend to incorporate a short journey after am sessions. See date listing below, and NSPN trip calendar for dates. Exact locations and activity focus will be announced a few days in advance to reflect weather and sea conditions. 

    Want to attend a session? A link to a sign up form will be posted about 1-2 weeks before each session. There are no level requirements: all members are welcome. The number of slots will be limited depending on the number of facilitators available for a given session. However, some sessions may work best if you’ve done a preceding session that lays some foundation.

    What do I need?  First, to be an NSPN Member and have a signed participation agreement! Our sessions use American Canoe Association insurance, so you will need either an annual ACA membership ($40) or a 1 day membership ($10) for each session that you attend. You will need a closed-deck sea kayak suitable for coastal paddling, with sealed bulkheads or float bags, and grab lines along the perimeter. Dressing for immersion and a spray skirt are required, and a helmet for any play near ledges or coastal rocks. Bring lunch, snacks, fluids for yourself and sunscreen.  Optionally, bring a tow line, radio, and spare paddles.  If you would like to practice using a tow line and don't have one, PM (Sue H) and the same goes for a helmet !

    Want to facilitate a session pod?  We want you on board to share your knowledge!  Please PM (Sue H) with your availability, contact information, sessions of interest, experience helping other paddlers improve, and gear you may be able to lend. 

    How does facilitation work?  Although demonstration and explanation are part of the picture, the main aim of Skills Practice is to give paddlers the experience of performing a skill. This often involves breaking it down into clear, approachable steps.  Before each session, we’ll have some online exchange among facilitators to share our thoughts.

    Got another question?  Post it here or send a PM (Sue H). 

    Tentative dates:  Subject to change and will be kept up to date on the NSPN Calendar. 

     

    Sunday    6/25/23 #1

    Sunday    7/09/23 #2

    Saturday  7/22/23 #3

    Sunday    8/06/23 #4

    Saturday  8/19/23 #5

    Saturday  9/23/23 #6

    NTSKW (New to Sea Kayak Workshop), Reminder and Request for Volunteers

    in Past Trips

    Posted

    Hello Members,

    Please review the description of NTSKW on our calendar.  If you are new to kayaking, and/or have a family member, or a friend who has expressed interest in kayaking, feel free to invite them to join you at the workshop through registering by email to ntskw@nspn.org or on our calendar, or via Facebook and MeetUp.  

    We will be looking for volunteers to bring boats, help with set-up and break-down of the event, and to mingle with potential NSPN members.  Mike Habich will be reaching out to some of you to bring boats for demonstration purposes.  I would like folks to PM (private message) me if available for general volunteering support of the event.  I also encourage any member to casually stop by to show your enthusiasm for kayaking and our club.  Sharing how you got started as a kayaker, how you developed your skills and your experiences on-the-water, can be very encouraging and inspiring to newcomers!

    Attached find the NTSKW agenda and NTSKW flyer (which you can print and hang at your local outdoor shop or coffee shop etc).  

    This is an opportunity to pay-it-forward and to assist growing the kayak community !  I hope to see you there!

    Cheers, Sue

    1168940739_2023NTSKWFlyer.pdfINSKW 2023 Agenda.pdf

    Next Board of Director's Mtg Tuesday 1/10/23

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    Hello Fellow NSPN Members,

    I just wanted you'll to know the first BOD Mtg for 2023 is tomorrow evening (1/10/23) at 6:30 pm.  If you have a topic you would like the Board to address at this meeting, please feel free to express your suggestion here as a reply.  Or if you feel more comfortable expressing your ideas privately, message me directly.  In my new role as President of the club, I an eager to find a variety of avenues to solicit your input and to enhance membership engagement.

    I'm looking forward to hearing from you, seeing you at NSPN events and definitely paddling with you in 2023!

    Sue

    Announcing changes to 2023 NSPN’s Board of Directors

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    Hi Folks,

    I would like to announce changes in the makeup of NSPN’s Board of Directors.  Rob Folster has served as President of the Board since 2017 and decided to step down at the end of his term in December 2022.  I am grateful for his support and the support of the Board in selecting me as the new President of NSPN.  I look forward with pleasure to serving our club and want you to know I am open to hearing you.

    The Board has decided to pay tribute to Rob’s service by making a contribution in his name to one of his favorite organizations, Chicago Adventure Therapy.  I want to take a moment here to describe Rob’s interests and contributions to NSPN. Rob has a passion for new to kayaking learners and has provided educational experiences to our kayaking community both on and off the water.  For example, we could always count on him to provide great workshops on kayak camping, to include a demo of how to pack a boat. Overall, Rob has a great deal of expertise to share, which he has done willingly.  He has assured us that he will continue to be available to assist in NSPN’s educational efforts.  We are grateful for his past contributions and look forward to those he may provide in the future.  The BOD wishes Rob all the best in his endeavors !

    Happy Paddling in 2023,

    Sue

     

    2023 Board of Directors Contact names in NSPN

    Sue Hriciga, President (Sue H.)

    Mike Habich, Treasurer/Clerk (mhabich)

    Jeff Charette, Secretary (Jeff Charette)

    Jim Snyder (Jim Snyder)

    Pablo deTorres (detorres)

    Gary York (gyork)

    The last WLP of the season

    in Past Trips

    Posted

    Ditto to thankfulness for WLP.  Today I am looking into a WLP 9/28/22 circumnav of Gerrish and parking options with launching from Kittery Town Dock in Pepperell Cove.  I am aware that on weekends  (& summer months) we can park at the local school... but what happens when school is in session ?  More to follow once I have spoken to Kittery Police and Harbormaster.

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